Religion is a complex issue that has many effects on sustainability. In particular, it influences human thought and behavior, which influences sustainability efforts and environmental problems such as energy consumption and carbon emissions. Because religion is closely linked with society, culture, economics, politics, sustainability, and the environment, it must change what it teaches in order to promote sustainability and protection of the environment. It must put sustainability and environmental protection above poverty and peace in its teachings.
Religion must be held responsible for giving a deeper reason or value for protecting nature and becoming sustainable. This is difficult because the earth itself is fundamentally unsustainable in the dimensions of both space and time. Eventually, all species that are currently alive will become extinct, including humans and regardless of human intervention. Then, why should humans put any effort into sustainability and environmental protection? For example, frogs are beginning to experience mutations from human induced water pollution and may eventually go extinct as a result. However, it is inevitable that frogs would go extinct even if humans did not exist. Religious must decide if it matters whether humans cause the extinction of frogs or if become extinct due to some other factor (Gottlieb).
Religion is also related to capitalism, economics, and politics. The idea of sacrifice in religion could be used to help justify decisions that have short term economic consequences in order to benefit sustainability and the environment in the long run. For example, regulations on the fossil fuel industry could be more widely accepted if the idea of sacrifice was taught more (Jenkins). However, religion can be seen as the source of many problems related to sustainability and the environment such as capitalism, war, and human behavior. For example, the ideals of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity are the basis of capitalism and many of the sustainability and environmental problems that humans are experiencing today such as resource consumption and pollution. The idea that humans are separate from nature makes it difficult to accept that humans are part of and have an effect on nature. Second, the idea that earth’s resources were provided for the purpose of being consumed by humans has resulted in unsustainable resource consumption. Third, the focus on human productivity as a good thing has only worsened this problem (Rasmussen).
Another important consideration is the break between people’s attitudes and behaviors. Although many people know that sustainability and environmental protection is the “right” thing to do, it is not always reflected in our behavior. For example, many very religious people do not act in the “right” way (Gottlieb). For example, Gottlieb argues that religion must help us to get past “our addictive psychology, lust for power, fascination with technology and ease, and plain moral laziness.”
Finally, religion has also contributed to sustainability and environmental problems through the many wars that have been fought. For example, the Holocaust and conflicts between religions in the Middle East have resulted in wars of all kinds. War, as described in my other post, is entirely unsustainable and has severe negative impacts on the environment.
Jenkins, W. (2008). Sustainability and Religion. Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture & Ecology, 12(2/3), 109–111. doi:10.1163/156853508X359921
Rasmussen, L. L. (2011). Energy: The Challenges to and from Religion. Zygon: Journal of Religion & Science, 46(4), 985–1002. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9744.2011.01224.x
Religion must be held responsible for giving a deeper reason or value for protecting nature and becoming sustainable. This is difficult because the earth itself is fundamentally unsustainable in the dimensions of both space and time. Eventually, all species that are currently alive will become extinct, including humans and regardless of human intervention. Then, why should humans put any effort into sustainability and environmental protection? For example, frogs are beginning to experience mutations from human induced water pollution and may eventually go extinct as a result. However, it is inevitable that frogs would go extinct even if humans did not exist. Religious must decide if it matters whether humans cause the extinction of frogs or if become extinct due to some other factor (Gottlieb).
Religion is also related to capitalism, economics, and politics. The idea of sacrifice in religion could be used to help justify decisions that have short term economic consequences in order to benefit sustainability and the environment in the long run. For example, regulations on the fossil fuel industry could be more widely accepted if the idea of sacrifice was taught more (Jenkins). However, religion can be seen as the source of many problems related to sustainability and the environment such as capitalism, war, and human behavior. For example, the ideals of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity are the basis of capitalism and many of the sustainability and environmental problems that humans are experiencing today such as resource consumption and pollution. The idea that humans are separate from nature makes it difficult to accept that humans are part of and have an effect on nature. Second, the idea that earth’s resources were provided for the purpose of being consumed by humans has resulted in unsustainable resource consumption. Third, the focus on human productivity as a good thing has only worsened this problem (Rasmussen).
Another important consideration is the break between people’s attitudes and behaviors. Although many people know that sustainability and environmental protection is the “right” thing to do, it is not always reflected in our behavior. For example, many very religious people do not act in the “right” way (Gottlieb). For example, Gottlieb argues that religion must help us to get past “our addictive psychology, lust for power, fascination with technology and ease, and plain moral laziness.”
Finally, religion has also contributed to sustainability and environmental problems through the many wars that have been fought. For example, the Holocaust and conflicts between religions in the Middle East have resulted in wars of all kinds. War, as described in my other post, is entirely unsustainable and has severe negative impacts on the environment.
Gottlieb, R. S. (2008). You gonna be here long? Religion and Sustainability. Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture & Ecology, 12(2/3), 163–178. doi:10.1163/156853508X359967
Jenkins, W. (2008). Sustainability and Religion. Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture & Ecology, 12(2/3), 109–111. doi:10.1163/156853508X359921
Rasmussen, L. L. (2011). Energy: The Challenges to and from Religion. Zygon: Journal of Religion & Science, 46(4), 985–1002. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9744.2011.01224.x